NoSQL (key-value, document, wide-column, graph)
Amazon DocumentDB (with MongoDB compatibility) vs Azure DocumentDB (with MongoDB compatibility)
Amazon DocumentDB maps to Azure DocumentDB (vCore-based, open-source DocumentDB engine) or Azure Cosmos DB for MongoDB (RU-based).
Both clouds implement the MongoDB wire protocol on their own engines rather than running MongoDB itself.
Side-by-side comparison
| Aspect | Amazon Web Services | Microsoft Azure |
|---|---|---|
| Service | Amazon DocumentDB (with MongoDB compatibility) | Azure DocumentDB (with MongoDB compatibility) |
| Lifecycle | Generally available | Generally available |
| What it is | MongoDB API-compatible document database with instance-based clusters (Aurora-style shared storage, standard or I/O-optimized) or elastic clusters (sharded), plus global clusters. | vCore-based MongoDB-compatible database built on the open-source, MIT-licensed DocumentDB engine (PostgreSQL-based, not MongoDB code). Microsoft cites 99.03% MongoDB compatibility, with built-in vector search. Azure Cosmos DB for MongoDB (RU) is the request-unit alternative. |
| Pricing model | Per instance-hour plus storage and I/O (or I/O-optimized), backups, and elastic cluster shard pricing. | Azure DocumentDB bills per cluster tier (vCores and memory) plus storage. Cosmos DB for MongoDB (RU) uses RU-based pricing. |
| Docs | Amazon DocumentDB (with MongoDB compatibility) docs | Azure DocumentDB (with MongoDB compatibility) docs |
| Pricing page | Amazon DocumentDB (with MongoDB compatibility) pricing | Azure DocumentDB (with MongoDB compatibility) pricing |
| Exams | SAA-C03 DVA-C02 Retiring | DP-420 AZ-305 |
Key differences
- Engine. Amazon DocumentDB is AWS's own engine on Aurora-style storage. Azure DocumentDB is built on the open-source DocumentDB project (PostgreSQL-based), which can also run on-premises or in other clouds.
- Scaling. Amazon DocumentDB has instance-based clusters (up to 256 TiB storage on version 8.0) and elastic clusters (sharded). Azure DocumentDB uses vCore-based clusters with sharding. Cosmos DB for MongoDB (RU) is a serverless or provisioned-throughput alternative.
- Compatibility. Neither is full MongoDB. Test the commands, aggregation stages, and index types your app uses, and check the supported MongoDB API versions.
Pricing summary
Pricing models only. No prices are quoted because they change by region and over time.
- AWS
- Per instance-hour plus storage and I/O (or I/O-optimized), backups, and elastic cluster shard pricing. Amazon DocumentDB (with MongoDB compatibility) pricing →
- Azure
- Azure DocumentDB bills per cluster tier (vCores and memory) plus storage. Cosmos DB for MongoDB (RU) uses RU-based pricing. Azure DocumentDB (with MongoDB compatibility) pricing →
Certification exam mapping
| Exam | Provider | Level | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate SAA-C03 | AWS | Associate | current Italian version retires after Dec 31, 2026. |
| AWS Certified Developer – Associate DVA-C02 | AWS | Associate | retiring Being updated to DVA-C03. Registration for DVA-C03 opens Oct 27, 2026. Last day to take DVA-C02 is Nov 30, 2026. |
| Microsoft Certified – Azure Cosmos DB AI Developer Associate DP-420 | Azure | Associate | current Renamed from Azure Cosmos DB Developer Specialty and moved to Associate level on Oct 6, 2026. |
| Microsoft Certified – Azure Solutions Architect Expert AZ-305 | Azure | Expert | current English version updated Apr 17, 2026. |
Relevance is based on each exam's published scope, not a line-by-line objective match. Check the official study guide.
Verification notes
- Azure DocumentDB is the new name for the former vCore-based Azure Cosmos DB for MongoDB. Older study materials use the earlier name.
FAQ
What is the Azure equivalent of Amazon DocumentDB (with MongoDB compatibility)?
Amazon DocumentDB maps to Azure DocumentDB (vCore-based, open-source DocumentDB engine) or Azure Cosmos DB for MongoDB (RU-based). Both clouds implement the MongoDB wire protocol on their own engines rather than running MongoDB itself.
How does pricing compare between Amazon DocumentDB (with MongoDB compatibility) and Azure DocumentDB (with MongoDB compatibility)?
AWS: Per instance-hour plus storage and I/O (or I/O-optimized), backups, and elastic cluster shard pricing. Azure: Azure DocumentDB bills per cluster tier (vCores and memory) plus storage. Cosmos DB for MongoDB (RU) uses RU-based pricing. Check the official pricing pages for current rates.
Which certification exams cover this topic?
AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate (SAA-C03); AWS Certified Developer – Associate (DVA-C02) [retiring]; Microsoft Certified – Azure Cosmos DB AI Developer Associate (DP-420); Microsoft Certified – Azure Solutions Architect Expert (AZ-305).